1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device that clips a portion of an input image to obtain a desired clipped image, an image processing method and an electronic apparatus incorporating such an image processing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, image sensing devices, such as a digital still camera and a digital video camera, that sense an image with an image sensor such as a CCD (charge coupled device) or a CMOS (complimentary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor and display devices, such as a liquid crystal display, that display an image have been widely used. As these sensing devices and display devices, there are provided devices that clip a predetermined region from an image to be processed (hereinafter referred to as an input image) and that record and display the image of the clipped region (hereinafter, a clipped image).
Such clipping processing allows the shooting of an image to be simplified. Specifically, for example, an input image of a wide angle of view is shot by a user, and the clipping processing is performed on the obtained input image such that a region is clipped where a subject (hereinafter, a main subject) to which the user especially wishes to pay attention is located at its center. Since this clipping processing allows an image where the main subject is located at its center to be obtained, it is possible to eliminate the need for the user to concentrate on following the main subject when an image is shot. In particular, simply directing the image sensing device toward the main subject is all that is required. Moreover, by detecting the main subject from the input image to perform the clipping processing based on the location of the detected main subject, it is possible to automatically obtain the image where the main subject is located at its center.
However, when a subject (hereinafter referred to as a sub-subject), other than the main subject, that interacts with the main subject is included in the input image, if the clipping processing is performed with the main subject at its center, a clipped image that excludes the sub-subject may be generated. In this case, the interaction between the main subject and the sub-subject is not included in the clipped image, and, in the clipped image, the behavior of the main subject is not clearly expressed. This results in a problem.
To overcome the foregoing problem, there is proposed a display method in which a clip region is set to include a plurality of objects detected from an input image, and in which display is performed. With this display method, it is possible to include a plurality of subjects in the clipped image.
However, when the clipped image is obtained that simply includes a plurality of subjects, a clipped image is generated which includes an unnecessary sub-subject unrelated to the main subject. This disadvantageously makes it difficult to obtain a clipped image in which emphasis is placed on the main subject.